The Penn's Grove record., 1887-07-09
WEDDING COMPLICATIONS.
Strange Laws That Puzzled a Clergy.
man and Disappointed a Couple.

There was a wedding in Wisconsin
recently. Weddings in Wisconsin are
not iu~frequent, but there was that
about this particular linking of two
young lives, with their accompanying
portion of this worlds goods, that
served to make it rather peculiar. The
groom. III anticipation of the happy
event, had written some time pre-
viously To his father, a venerable down
East minister Of MI. Wesley's Church,
inviting him to come out and perform
the ceremony. While as yet his com
ing vas uncertain the parents of the
bride entered into negotiations with
their home clergyman-a gentleman of
the Unlversalist faith-who readily
consented to do the joiner work, and,
as 1t seems, forthwith considered him
self engaged. In the fulness Of time
the good Methodist brother announced
his intention to be on hand, and on
hand he was the day before the we'd
ding was to take place. Half an hour
later it became unpleasantly apparent
that so far as officiating clergymen
were concerned here was indeed an en-
barrassment of riches. The result was
that the Methodist brother called upon
the Universalist brother, expressed the
natural desire of the paternal heart to
ofiiciate at the marriage of his own
son, aud Ventured to hint that the lati-
tudinarian brother give way. Whether
it was a question or pride or the pros
pective fee may g be known, but
the UEiversalist brother not only stood
upon his rights, but, by his learned ex-
position of the Wisconsin Marriage
Law, made it as plain s the way to a
parish church that if a Clergyman pro-
poses to join two people in the bonds OF
matrimony in the Badger State he
must be prepared to show by indubit-
able testimony that he is a regularly or
dained minister of the Gospel. Now,
while the good Methodist brothers.
good wife had packed about every
thing else into her spouse's valise that
could by any possibility minister TO his
comfort, she had forgotten his cre-
d~entials. They were at home and here
he was in Wisconsin.
A ray Of light pierced the gloom,
however, when it was subsequently
discovered that In the absence of the
CICO6uIldls IuCulSOlNCo d IulIllSl6I uluy
act if he eau succeed in persuading the
County Clerk by other evidence prop
erly recorded that he is a bona.lde,
regularly ordained clergyman. The
groom and n other, besides the Meth
odlst brother himself, were quite ready
to make affidavit to such a state of
facts, and after much telegraphing
back and forth and a night ride over
to the country seat, all legal obstruc-
tions were brushed away, peace spread
her wings and the Methodist brother
in the goodness OF his heart actually
offered to let his late antagonist ~oificlate
with him on the basis of an even di-
vide. The offer was accepted, the al
lotted parts carefully marked and the
''cues'' agreed upon, and all promised
to go off with the regularity of a new
four dollar alarm clock.
But it didn't. The UIiversalist
brother. upon whom devolved the pre-
apparently minded, like Mr.. Tenny-
sons brook, to go on forever. Instead
of following the Shakespearean iniunc-
ton regarding other clowns to ''speak
no more than is set down for them,''h he
not only went through his own part of
the ceremony, but made a generous In
curslon upon the others. When al
last he finally did let go, it puzzled the
Methodist brother, as it might we'll
have puzzled any one else, to know
what was left outside of the benedlc.
ton. But the follower of Mr.. Wesley
proved equal to the occasion. With a
neatly worded introduction and a re-
greet at what might seem to be a repeti-
tion of some things that had already
been said, he calmly and reverently
proceeded to marry the young people
oVer againl
1t is doubtful whether a couple has
been SO thoroughly married in Wiscon-
sin or elsewhere for many moons.